


we'll never fade away

by malkav



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:07:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28722591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malkav/pseuds/malkav
Summary: After leaving Night City, Judy and V talk about the future.
Relationships: Judy Alvarez/Female V
Comments: 2
Kudos: 141





	we'll never fade away

Leaning on a rusty truck, the distant canyons looked like they went on forever. The only buildings, tiny in the distance, were abandoned towns and farmhouses that dotted the dusty landscape. Dry ravines and riverbeds snaked through the valley. Morning crept through the space in between the rocks that gave what little shade could be found. It was calm, quiet, and completely foreign.

V could breathe.

It wasn’t like she couldn’t before, but out here in the Badlands, the air seemed to be less heavy, less suffocating in the way the air in Night City was. It was probably not entirely true – the air everywhere was fucked – but she could at least pretend, at least for a while. Breakfast was being served in the Aldecaldo camp, the smoke from the fires painting the red sunrise of the desert like something out of an ancient cowboy movie. She and Judy have been with them for about a month now. V wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“Hey, calabacita,” Someone hugged her from behind. _Judy_. She could hear the smile in her voice.

“You still haven’t told me what that means, yet,” V said, sliding her hands across Judy’s forearms.

“And I never will.” Judy said, laughing a little, “Go get some breakfast, yeah?”

Breakfast was a mash of canned food mixed in with various herbs. Panam was right; Night City’s food was a feast compared to this. The day ahead would be a busy one; the Aldecados were still on the move and had to deal with whatever kinks and problems that came with that, and V would be helping them in whatever way she could. Judy was usually helping Carol with tech stuff, since smutty BDs weren’t really a necessity out in the vast desert they were traveling in.

It was a strange feeling, not being alone.

“Look like you’re thinking about something. You okay?” Mitch said, from across the fire.

“Sure, just… still taking it all in, I guess.”

“Well, not like you can back out now. You’re an Aldecado for life, V.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” V said. “It’s just strange, actually bein’ out here. Feels like a dream.”

“Ah, you’ll get used to it.” Mitch said. “It might be different from Night City, but you’ll have us to back you up.”

“First time I’ve ever had that.”

“Had what?”

“A family.”

\----

As the day winded down, so did the movement of the camp. The nights in the Badlands were usually cold as the sun went down, but tonight was blessedly warm. The fires in the camp were slowly being relit and V could feel the stillness of the night slowly creeping in.

V had spent most of the day with Panam, helping her get rid of some Raffen Shiv nearby that were giving them trouble. It was rough work, sure, but not anything V wasn’t used to. The only thing different was the landscape, and as every day passed, V got used to that, too. Sitting on a blanket laid in front of the same rusty old truck she started the day on, V made sure everything was in place.

V quickly sent Judy a text: _Come by the old truck. I have a surprise ;)_

The blanket she had set out to lay on was comfy enough, and V had managed to scrounge up some good tequila from Cassidy after winning a shooting contest. She even had some music playing on the radio – some soft jazz. It wasn’t as luxurious V wanted it to be, but it was what she could manage in the chaos of being on the move most of the time. Nervous, V smoothed out the blanket again.

“What’s this?”

“Hey, Jude,” V said, suddenly sitting straighter. In the moonlight, she could see Judy’s amused smile. “Just figured… We haven’t had a lot of time to ourselves, so I wanted to do somethin’… special.”

Judy moved closer, and sat down on the blanket next to V. “You goin’ soft on me, V?”

“For you? Maybe,” V said. She grabbed the shot glasses she had laid out and poured the tequila. V could feel her face heating up, like this was the first date she’d ever been on. _Blushing like an idiot_ , V thought to herself. “Want some?”

“Why not?” Judy took a quick swig. “This is some good stuff. Where’d you get it?”

“I got it from Cassidy. Won in one his shooting contests. Anyway… how’s it going with you?”

“’S going alright. It’s not as hard as I thought it’d be, at least.” Judy looked down into the camp below, thoughtful, “Guess I’m starting to feel… I dunno… content? Like all that guilt is starting go away.”

“Like you’re able to breathe again.” V said.

Judy smiled. “Yeah.”

They settled into a comfortable silence. The moon had risen to replace the sun now, its light making everything some shade of blue. Judy leaned against her, her head resting on V’s shoulder. They sat there together for a while, enjoying the sounds of the night. The music from the radio played softly in the background, and the camp was far away enough that they could just enjoy the company of each other.

Something wet trickled down V’s nose. Blood.

She tried to wipe it off before Judy could notice, but she could see her concerned look out of the corner of her eye.

“I’m alright,” V said, wiping the blood away.

“V… I…”

“What’s wrong?”

“This whole thing with Mikoshi and your head and you dying… It’s not… You’ll fight it, right?”

_Fuck._

V knew that they would have to have this conversation eventually. But as every day passed without them talking about it, she grew to dread it even more. Judy’s face – the sadness washing over it – seemed unbearable and V wasn’t sure if she could find the words, or the strength to find them, but…

“Yes. I’ll fight for it. ‘Cause there’s no way in hell I’m losin’ you.”

Judy laid her hand on V’s knee and V took it, sliding her thumb across Judy’s knuckles. V cupped Judy’s face.

“Good. ‘Cause I dunno what I’d do without you.”

V slid her thumb across Judy’s lips, and leaned in. Kissing Judy was always soft, tender, a memory only for the two of them – a moment stolen from the rest of the world. Judy pulled V down with her onto the blanket. Judy slowly pulled away and pointed upwards.

“Look,” Judy whispered.

The Milky Way was painted across the sky, a thousand lights glittering. In the darkness of night, it felt like it was just them and the sky, stars that died a thousand years ago but still shone bright in the sky, never fading away.


End file.
